I've got three broody hens sitting on about 36 eggs; my first time letting any of my girls hatch some eggs! Not sure why I'm posting, maybe I just need a boost of confidence, or some tips and advice I haven't read up on yet. Our flock numbers about 70 at the moment, including 4 roosters. They are 7-mo-old RIR and BPR, and 2-yr-old Australorps. All of these birds, and previous parts of the flock, were ordered from Cackle Hatchery and raised in a brooder.
Three of the Aussies have gone broody, and we let them keep the eggs. I tried marking them (crayon, rubbed off - then dry-erase marker, didn't mark well and also rubbed off) but this is a circus I think. As soon as I've got the eggs marked and counted, more show up. And since they rubbed off the previous markings, now I can't tell newly-added eggs to the previous clutch. So whatever, keep 'em all, girls. Let's see what hatches, I guess! First day to let them set was April 20. So I thought May 10 would be our hatch date, but now I don't know! I used a flashlight last night (day 9?) to candle the eggs, but since they are brown eggs and I guess my flashlight isn't bright enough (720 lumens isn't bright enough?!?!?) I couldn't see much. On many of them, I DID see the eye of the embryo and some movement, but could not make out the air sac or blood veins. Several might have been quitters or yolkers, but since they weren't all laid on the same day and I can't make out blood veins, I'm not sure - so I just put them all back under their mommas. I may have to wait until they are near hatching time to discern which ones are duds.
Our coop is an old 32'-long travel trailer. The back half is the roost and nesting area. Front half is a brooder area and storage for feed and equipment. We have a shelf system with 4-gal drywall buckets laid on their sides, and screwed in place so they don't move. I cut out the middle of the lids, leaving about a 4" lip. There's about 4" of shelf space in front of the buckets, with a 2x4 lip screwed across the front of each shelf. I have ramps going up to the lower and middle shelves. One momma chose a bucket about 3-1/2' off the floor, and the other two are below her at about 2' high. All of the other chickens share the same space in the coop with mommas, and lay in the other buckets on three levels. So far, it's going okay, although I very much need to add new nesting buckets and a third ramp. I have waterers and a small dish of feed in front of the broodys' nests within reach. I haven't seen them get out of the nests to poop, but they must be - two of the girls have swapped places. And all those extra eggs showed up in the first few days.
Anyway, I've been very worried about what to do with mommas and eggs/chicks especially since they're not at floor level. After reading lots of threads and articles, I have decided it's best to leave them alone until the all the eggs hatch, and then move chicks and mommas into a brooder pen I have set up inside the same coop (there's a screen door between these areas) - for a week or so, and then open the brooder pen to let mommas and babies rejoin the flock under close supervision. If during the move the mommas break from the nests, then I have the brooder already set up and can turn on the heat lamp. If they don't break, then all is well. I've read that moving the nests before hatch might cause the mommas to abandon the nests. And I don't have an incubator. If I move them after hatch, mommas won't abandon their chicks. Is that about right???
Any advice? Mistakes I'm making? Tips? Any help is appreciated!
Three of the Aussies have gone broody, and we let them keep the eggs. I tried marking them (crayon, rubbed off - then dry-erase marker, didn't mark well and also rubbed off) but this is a circus I think. As soon as I've got the eggs marked and counted, more show up. And since they rubbed off the previous markings, now I can't tell newly-added eggs to the previous clutch. So whatever, keep 'em all, girls. Let's see what hatches, I guess! First day to let them set was April 20. So I thought May 10 would be our hatch date, but now I don't know! I used a flashlight last night (day 9?) to candle the eggs, but since they are brown eggs and I guess my flashlight isn't bright enough (720 lumens isn't bright enough?!?!?) I couldn't see much. On many of them, I DID see the eye of the embryo and some movement, but could not make out the air sac or blood veins. Several might have been quitters or yolkers, but since they weren't all laid on the same day and I can't make out blood veins, I'm not sure - so I just put them all back under their mommas. I may have to wait until they are near hatching time to discern which ones are duds.
Our coop is an old 32'-long travel trailer. The back half is the roost and nesting area. Front half is a brooder area and storage for feed and equipment. We have a shelf system with 4-gal drywall buckets laid on their sides, and screwed in place so they don't move. I cut out the middle of the lids, leaving about a 4" lip. There's about 4" of shelf space in front of the buckets, with a 2x4 lip screwed across the front of each shelf. I have ramps going up to the lower and middle shelves. One momma chose a bucket about 3-1/2' off the floor, and the other two are below her at about 2' high. All of the other chickens share the same space in the coop with mommas, and lay in the other buckets on three levels. So far, it's going okay, although I very much need to add new nesting buckets and a third ramp. I have waterers and a small dish of feed in front of the broodys' nests within reach. I haven't seen them get out of the nests to poop, but they must be - two of the girls have swapped places. And all those extra eggs showed up in the first few days.
Anyway, I've been very worried about what to do with mommas and eggs/chicks especially since they're not at floor level. After reading lots of threads and articles, I have decided it's best to leave them alone until the all the eggs hatch, and then move chicks and mommas into a brooder pen I have set up inside the same coop (there's a screen door between these areas) - for a week or so, and then open the brooder pen to let mommas and babies rejoin the flock under close supervision. If during the move the mommas break from the nests, then I have the brooder already set up and can turn on the heat lamp. If they don't break, then all is well. I've read that moving the nests before hatch might cause the mommas to abandon the nests. And I don't have an incubator. If I move them after hatch, mommas won't abandon their chicks. Is that about right???
Any advice? Mistakes I'm making? Tips? Any help is appreciated!
